New to the WITP - Advice is Appreciated

[SJD]

Hello Everyone
I discovered WITP by accident, the Military Channel website through Discovery, and just couldn't wait to buy it. I have been a dedicated Axis and Allies player, the board game version, since the late 80s. They got into Civilization on the computer but never found a computer game that looked like it had the realism and computer intelligence to be fun.

You can see why I couldn't wait to buy WITP. The layout of the game, functions, etc are all knew, and the scope of the game, which made it so appealing is also daunting. I am very familiar with the Pacific War so that aspect isn't a worry.

I could use some advice on starting out. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I want to get to the point where I can take one of your guys on.

[rogueusmc]

Where to start?...ask a few questions and we'll answer them the best we can.

You can star here: Lord Calidor's Manual

[Bradley7735]

Try one of the smaller scenarios first. Coral Sea is a good one. Not too many forces and only 2 weeks of time. It can get overwhelming at first if you try the whole shebang. The Mariana's is another scenario to start out with, but I think Coral Sea is less confusing. Play both sides a few times until you get the hang of the different types of operations.

Once you're done with that, play some larger scenarios or the full lenght one. At some point, you'll trash the AI and you're now ready for PBEM. But, if you play PBEM, you'll probably get your ass kicked for the first couple of tries. There is a huge learning curve with the game. You can't possibly learn it all by playing the AI. Human opponents will likely win if they have more experience playing other humans.

Don't worry about learning it all at once. I've been playing for 15 months (real life time, not game time) and have not yet begun to get bored.

[Yamato hugger]

If you have never played a game like this before (and A&A is nothing like this) expect to be overwhelmed at first.

To quote Men in Black:
"Give it a few months. You'll either get used to it, or you'll have a psychotic episode"

Start with the tutorial. Play the AI. Alot. Before you try a human.

[CMDRMCTOAST]

In this game Logistics is the key, creating and protecting supply lines is everything
Capitol ships need fuel and LCU'S, bases, and aircraft need supplies, lots of it.
You need to address every detail pertaining to warfare, Ship & plane upgrades,
troop training, Fatiuge and morale all have consequences, base upgrades to
allow for less spoilage, less malarial effects, bigger airfields to allow more fighters
and the ability to base heavies to bomb the snot out of your apponants bases..[:D]

There is a lot to learn and I touched on just a few issues but it is fun to learn if
you are a dedicated wargamer who wants complete control of your entire force
disposition, ask questions and these guy's will respond, take time too search and read
past posts and look into spookies website to get all the manuals you will want that
covers this awesome strategy game.

Go to the AAR'S section and read the incredible battles and spend hours there researching
past games and learn from others mistakes and triumphs..
Then take on a PBEM game and get your butt stomped as there is no better way to learn
this game than playing a human apponant once you think you got the game down....[;)]

[Slaughtermeyer.]

You might find the Newbie Guide available at Spooky's website to be helpful:

http://mathubert.free.fr/

[FeurerKrieg]

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

If you have never played a game like this before (and A&A is nothing like this) expect to be overwhelmed at first.

To quote Men in Black:
"Give it a few months. You'll either get used to it, or you'll have a psychotic episode"

Start with the tutorial. Play the AI. Alot. Before you try a human.

ANother option is to find another brand new player and start a PBEM with them, you can both learn the ropes at the same time (and have fun doing so) then after a few weeks of game time, call it quits and start a REAL game.

[Gen.Hoepner]

And remember that with this game you'll never finish to learn....
and, above all, say goodbye to any social life, wife,sons, neighboor or whatever.

Welcome aboard![:D]

[Feinder]

Like they said, play the AI several times before going PBEM.

After you've played the shorter scenarios, and you're ready to take the plunge on Scen #15 (full campaign), set all the zones to Computer Control, except Southeast Asia (so you're only playing as the Brits). Play as only the Brits for a while, it's a good exposure to lots of aspects of the game, but not on an OMG! scale. There's land combat, air strikes, naval forces, and supply requirements to be met. But again, you're not having to worry about the Dutch or Oz or USA. Frankly, it doesn't matter how the rest of the war is going, just concentrate on your little corner from India to Singapore.

And have a very thick skin for your first PBEM or two. You will be -astounded- by what your opponent does (and potentially very frustrated).

Welcome aboard.

Just move the coffee maker into the den (or wherever your computer is). Kiss your wife and kids good-bye one last time. Tell them to just leave sandwhiches by the doorway, and that you're going to be very busy for the next few years.

[* hands SJD his WitP Anonymous card *]

-F-

[SJD]

I played the Coral Sea scenario - it is mostly a blur. I am currently playing the Guadacanal scenario. A couple questions.

1) A Japananese TF snuck up on my invasion fleet near Tulagi. I figured since I had 8 submarines throughout the Solomons as well as carrier aircraft at Guadacanal, I would have seen them, but I didn't and they had a little fun with what I am sure, 50 years later are one heck of a coral reef.

What can I do to better spot enemy fleets - use float planes? other planes?

2) When you click on a sqaudron, there are three circles, can someone enlighten me, also maybe some pointers on the finer points of aircraft. Why also don't my carrier planes, the Dive Bombers, always allow me to use the naval attach option. I had a Japanese fleet two hexs away and they wouldn't let me do that option.


Sorry about what must seem like foolish questions to everyone. But as a previous poster hinted at, I will surely be spending my 3 day weekend figuring out this game.

[Nikademus]

You can increase your search probabilities by setting the planes to less than their maximum range. the farther a plane searches, the less effective it becomes. Increasing the "naval search %" for medium and heavy bombers that are set to naval strike will also increase your saturation. As patrol and bomber exp go up, they will search better as well.

[Yamato hugger]

ORIGINAL: SJD

I played the Coral Sea scenario - it is mostly a blur. I am currently playing the Guadacanal scenario. A couple questions.

1) A Japananese TF snuck up on my invasion fleet near Tulagi. I figured since I had 8 submarines throughout the Solomons as well as carrier aircraft at Guadacanal, I would have seen them, but I didn't and they had a little fun with what I am sure, 50 years later are one heck of a coral reef.

What can I do to better spot enemy fleets - use float planes? other planes?

2) When you click on a sqaudron, there are three circles, can someone enlighten me, also maybe some pointers on the finer points of aircraft. Why also don't my carrier planes, the Dive Bombers, always allow me to use the naval attach option. I had a Japanese fleet two hexs away and they wouldn't let me do that option.


Sorry about what must seem like foolish questions to everyone. But as a previous poster hinted at, I will surely be spending my 3 day weekend figuring out this game.

Ive never played that scenario so I dont know the forces you have. Put a base force (a unit with aviation support troops) or an AVD ship in Tulagi. Then fly in a PBY group or 2.

Red ring is max extended range. Black ring is max effective range. The yellow ring has nothing to do with aircraft. Thats the max move radius of the TF in the hex.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

ORIGINAL: SJD

I played the Coral Sea scenario - it is mostly a blur. I am currently playing the Guadacanal scenario. A couple questions.

1) A Japananese TF snuck up on my invasion fleet near Tulagi. I figured since I had 8 submarines throughout the Solomons as well as carrier aircraft at Guadacanal, I would have seen them, but I didn't and they had a little fun with what I am sure, 50 years later are one heck of a coral reef.

What can I do to better spot enemy fleets - use float planes? other planes?

2) When you click on a sqaudron, there are three circles, can someone enlighten me, also maybe some pointers on the finer points of aircraft. Why also don't my carrier planes, the Dive Bombers, always allow me to use the naval attach option. I had a Japanese fleet two hexs away and they wouldn't let me do that option.


Sorry about what must seem like foolish questions to everyone. But as a previous poster hinted at, I will surely be spending my 3 day weekend figuring out this game.

Ive never played that scenario so I dont know the forces you have. Put a base force (a unit with aviation support troops) or an AVD ship in Tulagi. Then fly in a PBY group or 2.

Red ring is max extended range. Black ring is max effective range. The yellow ring has nothing to do with aircraft. Thats the max move radius of the TF in the hex.

I want to second this. PBY or other patrol craft should be your primary resource for spotting fleets. Set them to 100% search. You can reduce their range to increase the chance of spotting ships, but I rarely do. I want as much warning as possible of an incoming attack. Also, if you have bombers (in particular heavies) you can set a % of them to naval search. I usually have 10-20% on naval search.

Also, if you have AV ships, they will also provide aviation support to PBY's. You can base AV or AVD at any island or even beach and run PBY from there. you don't have to have a base force there.

I don't use submarines a lot a sentries. They are too valuable at disrupting shipping and their detection capability is too limited vs aircraft.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: SJD

Hello Everyone
I discovered WITP by accident, the Military Channel website through Discovery, and just couldn't wait to buy it. I have been a dedicated Axis and Allies player, the board game version, since the late 80s. They got into Civilization on the computer but never found a computer game that looked like it had the realism and computer intelligence to be fun.

You can see why I couldn't wait to buy WITP. The layout of the game, functions, etc are all knew, and the scope of the game, which made it so appealing is also daunting. I am very familiar with the Pacific War so that aspect isn't a worry.

I could use some advice on starting out. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I want to get to the point where I can take one of your guys on.

Also, if you haven't done so already, go through the tutorials provided with the manual. They are good for getting the controls down and provide some basic insight into how to use different forces.

I would consider reading this forum religiously. Many of the WitP veterans provide some excellent insight and can help keep you out of massacre situations. They have helped me often enough.

Finally, welcome. [:)]

[Tom Hunter]

For AARs I suggest:

The Italian Job by Gen Hoepner for Japanese strategy
and
Clash of Steel by PzB is also very good for Japanese strategy.

The Allied side of these two games is Italian Job by Mc7732 and Sand in the Vasaline by Wobbly.

The Imperialism and AAR that I wrote for a game that appears to be defunkt, it is a few pages back but discusses Allied strategy at length.

Also See who gets their banna straightened by EU bannana

and Adm. Laurents AAR as well.

These 4 discuss strategy much more than most. Many AARs are open to both sides, so they don't reveal plans, they just report events.

For entertainment read Fear and Loathing on both sides, but don't forget they are heavily biased towards the writers side. Thaynes AAR is also very good.

[Gen.Hoepner]

I agree with Tom: reading AAR is one of the most easy and interesting ways to learn how to play this game.

The manual is a must, but you won't find everything there.

1-Study the manual. Read it 10 times at least.
2-Go and grab as many files ( guides,OOBs,Aircraft and ships data) at Spooky's site.
3-Read as many AAR as you can.
4-Play some hundreds turns vs the AI
5-Read every possible thread on the forum
6-now, MAYBE, you're ready for a Pbem

[:D]

[SJD]

You guys were all right, I can't seem to pull myself away. My girlfriend already feels like a widow.

Question - Sometimes I have infantry units that won't attack - it doesn't allow me to click on that option - any suggestions?

[pauk]

for land combat you need to be in the hex together with enemy units. If it is a case and you still can't attack enemy (deliberate attack, shock attack option is not allowed (grey coloure), then you have (probably) an older version of WiTP.

You should download patches and last official version is 1.6. There is on the forum available 1.602 or something (beta patch) but im sure it will fix your problems, and soon 1.7 patch will be relased


hope this helps...

PS... don't hestiate yourself to ask this kind of questions in Support forum

[aletoledo]

one thing, don't get discouraged. I've been playing a little every day for about three months and I'm just getting the hang of all the basics. that probably sounds really slow to many people, but a lot of people here seem to have come over from a similair game called "uncommon valor". so since you haven't played that game either (like I hadn't) then expect it to take you a month or two just to get used to all the statistics and tables, in addition to the basic tactics of the game.